Archived Announcements

All Archived Announcements

District Test Coordinators Quick Guide

The new District Test Coordinators Quick Guide is now posted to the Ohio Department of Education Testing Webpage under Resources. This guide provides links, acronyms, definitions, contact information and resources that will assist district test coordinators with their position.

Added March 21, 2019

Accessibility Features for the AASCD Independent Field Test Now Available

To assist districts with preparations for the AASCD 2.0 Independent Field Test, AIR expanded the Test Settings feature in TIDE to include AASCD. This feature allows districts to set AASCD test settings in TIDE prior to testing. Districts can access this feature under the Student Information task in TIDE to ensure all accessibility features are appropriately marked for AASCD students taking the Independent Field Test.

As a reminder, Text-To-Speech (TTS) is on for all AASCD tests and cannot be turned off. Administrators should allow the TTS to play first, to ensure the TTS reads any “hidden” text.

Districts can access the TA Practice and Student Practice Sites and refer to the Practice Test Guidance document on the portal for more information about the available test settings and tools. The test settings and tools set in TIDE will be available for students when they log in to take the Independent Field Test.

For directions on uploading or manually editing student test settings, refer to the TIDE User Guide, located on the portal.

Added March 14, 2019

Upcoming Scheduled Maintenance

AIR will be conducting periodic maintenance of the testing systems to ensure system stability and reliability throughout the school year. These maintenance periods will occur on the dates indicated below and can last up to 24 hours. During a maintenance period some or all of these systems may be inaccessible:

TIDE

Student Testing Site and Practice Test Site

TA Interface and TA Practice Site

Online Reporting System (ORS)

Teacher Hand Scoring System

Data Entry Interface

TA Certification Course

Assessment Systems Inbox

Winter Maintenance Windows

Saturday, March 16, beginning at 9 a.m.

Added March 14, 2019

TIDE Downtime

On Friday, February 15 the TIDE system will be down for maintenance from approximately 5pm to 8pm. TIDE will be inaccessible during this time. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.

For questions or concerns regarding this downtime, please contact the Ohio Help Desk at ohhelpdesk@air.org or 877-231-7809.

Added February 11, 2019

DEI User Guide and FAQs Posted

The Data Entry Interface (DEI) User Guide for the Spring 2019 AASCD has been posted to the portal, along with a set of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) regarding data entry for the alternate assessment. The Data Entry Interface will be open from Tuesday, February 19 through Friday, April 12. During this testing window, all student scores must be entered into the DEI - failure to enter data before 5:00 p.m. on April 12 will result in no scores being reported.

Added February 11, 2019

Second Rater Assignments Posted in TIDE

Second rater assignments for districts have been posted in TIDE. If you need a second rater reassigned, please contact the Ohio Help Desk at ohhelpdesk@air.org or 877-231-7809

Districts that confirmed participation and submitted on-time Test Administration Kit orders will receive Alternate Assessment for Students with Significant Cognitive Disabilities (AASCD) test materials on Monday, February 4. Please check your materials, per the instructions provided in the Test Coordinator’s Manual. If you are missing boxes, call the Help Desk at ohhelpdesk@air.org or 1-877-231-7809. Kits should be distributed to test administrators in advance of the Spring 2019 AASCD operational (1.0) administration window opening on February 19.

Additional orders can be placed in TIDE starting Monday, February 4 – Wednesday, April 10 at the district level only, and are subject to ODE approval. DTCs may Pre-ID new students and update Pre-ID data for the operational (1.0) AASCD through April 12.

Districts that pre-identified their AASCD students in TIDE by January 23 should log into TIDE starting Thursday, February 7, to confirm which students have a second rater assignment. Each district should expect to have at least one student per grade band who requires a second rater for the Spring 2019 operational (1.0) AASCD.

As a reminder, the Spring 2019 operational (1.0) AASCD administration window is February 19 – April 12. All scores must be submitted into the Data Entry Interface (DEI) by 5:00 PM on April 12. Failure to enter scores in the DEI by this deadline will result in no scores being reported.

Added February 1, 2019

Upcoming Scheduled Maintenance

AIR will be conducting periodic maintenance of the testing systems to ensure system stability and reliability throughout the school year. These maintenance periods will occur on the dates indicated below and can last up to 24 hours. During a maintenance period some or all of these systems may be inaccessible:

TIDE

Student Testing Site and Practice Test Site

TA Interface and TA Practice Site

Online Reporting System (ORS)*

Teacher Hand Scoring System

Data Entry Interface

TA Certification Course

Assessment Systems Inbox

*Note: The ORS maintenance for January will begin Friday, January 11, at approximately 7:30 p.m. and conclude by Sunday at 9 a.m.

Winter Maintenance Windows

Saturday, January 12, beginning at 9 a.m.

Saturday, February 9, beginning at 9 a.m.

Saturday, March 16, beginning at 9 a.m.

Added January 7, 2019

Spring 2019 1.0 Refresher and 2.0 Training PowerPoints Now Available

The Spring 2019 AASCD 1.0 Refresher Training PowerPoint is now available for download on the Alternate Assessment Portal. This narrated presentation contains an overview of information regarding design of the AASCD 1.0 paper assessment, changes for the spring 2019 administration, administering the assessment, starting points, entering student scores, and more.

To prepare districts for the AASCD Online 2.0 assessments, an AASCD 2.0 Administration Training PowerPoint is also available for download on the Alternate Assessment Portal. This narrated presentation contains an overview of information regarding design of the AASCD 2.0 online assessment, the online systems used for the assessment, administering the assessment, and more.

These PowerPoints are optional resources for all test administrators for the AASCD. These resources can be downloaded from the Test Administration Resources section of the portal.

Added December 5, 2018

New Secure Browser for macOS 10.13 and 10.14

This message pertains only to districts and schools using devices with macOS 10.13 and 10.14 to administer online tests; all others may disregard this message. AIR has completed the review of macOS 10.14 and determined a new secure browser is required to support this new operating system. Additionally, a security issue has been discovered for macOS 10.13.

To allow support of 10.14 and to resolve the security issue in 10.13, Mac Secure Browser 10.6 will be available beginning on Monday, November 26. Devices running macOS 10.9 to 10.12 may continue to use the current Mac Secure Browser 10.3.

Beginning on Monday, December 3, Mac Secure Browser 10.6 will be required for devices running macOS 10.13 and 10.14 to access the secure student testing site.

If you have any questions about this information or need assistance with installing the secure browser, contact the Ohio Help Desk at 877.231.7809 or ohhelpdesk@air.org.

Added November 27, 2018

Upcoming Scheduled Maintenance

AIR will be conducting periodic maintenance of the testing systems to ensure system stability and reliability throughout the school year. These maintenance periods will occur on the Saturdays indicated below and can last up to 24 hours. During a maintenance period some or all of these systems may be inaccessible:

TIDE

Student Testing Site and Practice Test Site

TA Interface and TA Practice Site

Online Reporting System

Teacher Hand Scoring System

Data Entry Interface

TA Certification Course

Assessment Systems Inbox

Winter Maintenance Windows

Saturday, December 15 beginning at 9 a.m.

Saturday, January 5 beginning at 9 a.m.

Saturday, February 9 beginning at 9 a.m.

Added November 19, 2018

Upcoming Scheduled Maintenance

AIR will be conducting periodic maintenance of the testing systems to ensure system stability and reliability throughout the school year. These maintenance periods will occur on the Saturdays indicated below and can last up to 24 hours. During a maintenance period some or all of these systems may be inaccessible:

TIDE

Student Testing Site and Practice Test Site

TA Interface and TA Practice Site

Online Reporting System

Teacher Hand Scoring System

Data Entry Interface

TA Certification Course

Assessment Systems Inbox

Fall Maintenance Windows

Saturday, November 17 beginning at 9 a.m.

Added November 12, 2018

New Inbox Portal Card

A new system card has been added to the users pages for Teachers/Test Administrators and Test Coordinators. Clicking on the Inbox card will take you directly to your Ohio Assessment Systems Inbox, without the need to access TIDE or ORS first. This card provides a quick way to access files generated in TIDE or ORS, such as student exports or results data files. Access the Inbox using your same login credentials which are used to access all other secure testing systems.

Added October 19, 2018

Spring 2019 AASCD Manuals Available

The spring 2019 AASCD manuals are now available on the Alternate Assessment Portal. The spring 2019 AASCD manuals include information pertaining to both the AASCD Operational Paper (1.0) administration and the AASCD Online Independent Field Test (2.0) administration.

The AASCD Directions for Administration Manual outlines how teachers/test administrators should prepare for and administer the AASCD assessments. All teachers, test administrators, and second raters should review the manual in advance of the test window. The AASCD Test Coordinator’s Manual outlines the responsibilities and procedures that district and building test coordinators are to follow for the AASCD assessments.

The Practice Test Sites provide students and administrators the opportunity to experience the sign in process, navigate the online testing system, use the available tools and features, and familiarize themselves with online testing. For administrators, the TA Practice Site provides an opportunity for TAs to become familiar with the TA Interface, including setting up a test session and monitoring a student’s test progress.

Both the Student and TA Practice Test Sites can be accessed via any supported web browser. The Student Practice Test Site can also be accessed via the AIR Secure Browser or Secure Test App, available for download on the AASCD Secure Browsers page. For more information regarding system requirements and installing the AIR Secure Browser or Secure Test App, please refer to the Technology Resources available on the AASCD portal.

For additional questions or for assistance with accessing the AASCD 2.0 Practice Test Sites, please contact the Ohio Help Desk at ohhelpdesk@air.org, 877-231-7809 option 2.

Added October 3, 2018

Ohio Learning Standards-EXTENDED (Revised September 2018)

On Sept. 18, 2018, the State Board of Education adopted the revised grade-level Ohio’s Learning Standards-Extended for students who are assessed using the Alternate Assessment for Students with Significant Cognitive Disabilities (AASCD). The Ohio’s Learning Standards-Extended are specific statements of knowledge and skills linked to the expectations in Ohio’s Learning Standards. The extensions build a bridge that provides grade-level access for students with the most significant cognitive disabilities to the content of Ohio’s Learning Standards. The Ohio’s Learning Standards-Extended can be found on the Department's website.

Assessment Systems Downtime in Preparation for 2018-2019

In preparation for the 2018-2019 school year, all Ohio assessment systems will be unavailable starting Monday, Aug. 13 at 6 p.m.

TIDE will be unavailable from Monday, Aug. 13 at 6 p.m. until 8 a.m. at Tuesday, Aug. 21.

Please note the following regarding the Ohio English Language Proficiency Screener (OELPS):

OELPS may be administered Aug. 15-20 provided the students to be tested are registered in TIDE prior to the down time.

Test administrators must also be added to TIDE (if needed) prior to the TIDE downtime.

If a Test Status Request (Reset, Reopen, Invalidation or Restore) is needed for the OELPS while TIDE is down, the district test coordinator will contact the Ohio Help Desk and provide all needed information. AIR will process these requests manually.

We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause. For questions or concerns regarding these downtimes please contact the Ohio Help Desk at ohhelpdesk@air.org, 877-231-7809 option 2.

Added July 2, 2018

Alternate Assessment Survey Closing

The Alternate Assessment Survey will be closing this Friday, April 20, 2018. If you have feedback about the Spring 2018 Ohio Alternate Assessment or if you would like to become involved with the development of Ohio’s new alternate assessment, please complete the Alternate Assessment Survey by Friday, April 20, 2018. Your feedback is valuable and will be used to inform future policies and procedures for the AASCD.

Added April 17, 2018

Spring 2018 AASCD Test Window Closing Friday, April 13

All AASCD testing must be concluded and all scores must be submitted into the Data Entry Interface (DEI) by Friday, April 13 at 11:59PM.There will be no extensions for any reason.

Data Entry Interface
Teachers (TEs), Test Administrators (TAs) and Second Raters (SRs) should complete score submission in a timely manner. Failure to submit scores in the DEI will result in no scores being reported. Optional scoring worksheets will not be scored.

Pre-ID and Additional Order Windows Closing
District personnel can place additional orders for TA Kits in TIDE through Wednesday, April 11. Student Pre-ID information can be added and edited through Friday, April 13.

Returning Alternate Assessment Materials
Please follow the instructions provided in the Directions for Administration Manual (page 26-27) for repackaging the TA Kits and the Test Coordinator’s Manual (pages 15-18) for returning test materials and scheduling a UPS pickup if needed. All test materials must be shipped to Pel Hughes no later than Friday, April 20.

Test Administration Survey
If you have feedback about the Spring 2018 Ohio Alternate Assessment or if you would like to become involved with the development of Ohio’s new alternate assessment, please complete the Alternate Assessment Survey. Your feedback is valuable and will be used to inform future policies and procedures for the AASCD.

Added April 6, 2018

TA Interface Downtime

In preparation for the Ohio’s State Tests Spring 2018 administration, the TA Interface will be inaccessible for online testing from 8:00pm Friday, March 23 through 8:00pm Sunday, March 25.

During this time, the Data Entry Interface (DEI) will still be accessible for data entry of OELPA and AASCD student responses.

We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause. For questions or concerns regarding this downtime, please contact the Ohio Help Desk at ohhelpdesk@air.org, 877-231-7809 option 2.

Added March 23, 2018

Alternate Assessment Survey Open

We would like to invite you to submit feedback on your experience with the Spring 2018 AASCD. Please click on the link to complete the Alternate Assessment Survey. Your feedback is valuable and will be used to inform future policies and prodecures for the AASCD. Please share this survey with any who may have feedback or would like to participate in committees for the development of the alternate assessment.

Added March 12, 2018

Spring 2018 AASCD Test Window

The Spring 2018 AASCD test window is now open, February 20 – April 13. All student scores must be entered into the DEI by 11:59pm, April 13. Failure to enter scores in the DEI will result in no scores being reported. As a reminder, personnel entering student scores into the DEI must be assigned the appropriate user account (TE, TA, or SR).

DEI User Guide and FAQs Posted

The Data Entry Interface (DEI) User Guide for the Spring 2018 AASCD has been posted to the portal, along with a set of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) regarding data entry for the alternate assessment. The Data Entry Interface will be open from Tuesday, February 20 through Friday, April 13. During this testing window, all student scores must be entered into the DEI - failure to enter data before 11:59 p.m. on April 13 will result in no scores being reported.

Added February 15, 2018

ORS Downtime

On Friday, February 16, the Online Reporting System (ORS) will be down for maintenance from 8:00 a.m. until approximately 8:00 p.m. ORS will be inaccessible during this time.

We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause. For questions or concerns regarding this downtime, please contact the Ohio Help Desk at ohhelpdesk@air.org, 877-231-7809 option 2.

Added February 14, 2018

Second Rater Assignments Posted in TIDE

Second rater assignments for districts have been posted in TIDE. If you need a second rater reassigned, please contact the Ohio Help Desk at ohhelpdesk@air.org or 877-231-7809.

Added February 8, 2018

TIDE Downtime

On Tuesday, February 13th the TIDE system will be down for maintenance from approximately 6pm to 9pm. TIDE will be inaccessible during this time. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.

For questions or concerns regarding this downtime, please contact the Ohio Help Desk at ohhelpdesk@air.org, 877-231-7809 option 2.

Added February 6, 2018

Test Material Delivery and Additional Ordering - Feb. 6

Districts that confirmed participation and submitted on-time Test Administration Kit orders will receive Alternate Assessment for Students with Significant Cognitive Disabilities (AASCD) test materials on Tuesday, February 6. Please check your materials, per the instructions provided in the Test Coordinator’s Manual. If you are missing boxes, call the Help Desk at ohhelpdesk@air.org or 1-877-231-7809. Kits should be distributed to test administrators in advance of the test window opening on February 20.

Additional orders can be placed in TIDE starting February 6 through April 11 at the district level only, and are subject to ODE approval. DTCs may Pre-ID new students and update Pre-ID data through April 13. Please see the Additional Order and Pre-ID Window Guidance Document for more information.

Added February 2, 2018

Spring 2018 Online Refresher Training Posted

An Online Refresher Training PowerPoint is now available for download on the Alternate Assessment Portal. This narrated presentation contains an overview of information regarding design of the assessment, changes for the spring 2018 administration, administering the assessment, starting points, entering student scores, and more. This is an optional resource for all test administrators for the AASCD. To download this resource, search for “Online Refresher Training” in the Test Administration Resources section of the portal.

Added December 11, 2017

Spring 2018 AASCD Manuals Available

The spring 2018 AASCD manuals are now available on the Alternate Assessment Portal. The AASCD Directions for Administration Manual outlines how teachers/test administrators should prepare for and administer the AASCD. All teachers, test administrators, and second raters should review the manual in advance of the test window. The AASCD Test Coordinator’s Manual outlines the responsibilities and procedures that district and building test coordinators are to follow for the AASCD.

Added November 17, 2017

Spring 2018 AASCD On-Time Order Window

The Spring 2018 AASCD On-Time Order Window opens on Tuesday, November 14 and closes on Wednesday,November 29. During the order window, DTCs will need to: verify contact information, confirm participation for the AASCD, and confirm or adjust orders for TA Kits. DTCs will access the “TA Kit Orders AASCD Spring 2018” administration in TIDE to complete these order related tasks.

Added November 14, 2017

Released AASCD Tasks Available on Portal

For the first time for the alternate assessment, tasks have been released from previous years’ administrations and are now available here: Released Tasks The released tasks are from all three gradebands (3-5, 6-8, and HS) and from all four subject areas (English language arts, mathematics, science, and social studies). These tasks include the test booklet, response cards, and posters needed to practice administering the AASCD with students.

Added August 9, 2017

Score Reports Due in District June 9

Score Reports for the Alternate Assessment will be shipped to districts for delivery by Friday, June 9.

The AASCD Score Reports Interpretive Guide has been posted and updated for 2017. It contains guidance for families regarding the AASCD and goes through features of the score reports and what they mean.

Added May 30, 2017

Students and Families

Upcoming Scheduled Maintenance

AIR will be conducting periodic maintenance of the testing systems to ensure system stability and reliability throughout the school year. These maintenance periods will occur on the dates indicated below and can last up to 24 hours. During a maintenance period some or all of these systems may be inaccessible:

TIDE

Student Testing Site and Practice Test Site

TA Interface and TA Practice Site

Online Reporting System (ORS)*

Teacher Hand Scoring System

Data Entry Interface

TA Certification Course

Assessment Systems Inbox

*Note: The ORS maintenance for January will begin Friday, January 11, at approximately 7:30 p.m. and conclude by Sunday at 9 a.m.

Winter Maintenance Windows

Saturday, January 12, beginning at 9 a.m.

Saturday, February 9, beginning at 9 a.m.

Saturday, March 16, beginning at 9 a.m.

Added January 7, 2019

Upcoming Scheduled Maintenance

AIR will be conducting periodic maintenance of the testing systems to ensure system stability and reliability throughout the school year. These maintenance periods will occur on the Saturdays indicated below and can last up to 24 hours. During a maintenance period some or all of these systems may be inaccessible:

TIDE

Student Testing Site and Practice Test Site

TA Interface and TA Practice Site

Online Reporting System

Teacher Hand Scoring System

Data Entry Interface

TA Certification Course

Assessment Systems Inbox

Winter Maintenance Windows

Saturday, December 15 beginning at 9 a.m.

Saturday, January 5 beginning at 9 a.m.

Saturday, February 9 beginning at 9 a.m.

Added November 19, 2018

Upcoming Scheduled Maintenance

AIR will be conducting periodic maintenance of the testing systems to ensure system stability and reliability throughout the school year. These maintenance periods will occur on the Saturdays indicated below and can last up to 24 hours. During a maintenance period some or all of these systems may be inaccessible:

The Practice Test Sites provide students and administrators the opportunity to experience the sign in process, navigate the online testing system, use the available tools and features, and familiarize themselves with online testing. For administrators, the TA Practice Site provides an opportunity for TAs to become familiar with the TA Interface, including setting up a test session and monitoring a student’s test progress.

Both the Student and TA Practice Test Sites can be accessed via any supported web browser. The Student Practice Test Site can also be accessed via the AIR Secure Browser or Secure Test App, available for download on the AASCD Secure Browsers page. For more information regarding system requirements and installing the AIR Secure Browser or Secure Test App, please refer to the Technology Resources available on the AASCD portal.

For additional questions or for assistance with accessing the AASCD 2.0 Practice Test Sites, please contact the Ohio Help Desk at ohhelpdesk@air.org, 877-231-7809 option 2.

Added October 3, 2018

Ohio Learning Standards-EXTENDED (Revised September 2018)

On Sept. 18, 2018, the State Board of Education adopted the revised grade-level Ohio’s Learning Standards-Extended for students who are assessed using the Alternate Assessment for Students with Significant Cognitive Disabilities (AASCD). The Ohio’s Learning Standards-Extended are specific statements of knowledge and skills linked to the expectations in Ohio’s Learning Standards. The extensions build a bridge that provides grade-level access for students with the most significant cognitive disabilities to the content of Ohio’s Learning Standards. The Ohio’s Learning Standards-Extended can be found on the Department's website.

Added September 27, 2018

Assessment Systems Downtime in Preparation for 2018-2019

In preparation for the 2018-2019 school year, all Ohio assessment systems will be unavailable starting Monday, Aug. 13 at 6 p.m.

TIDE will be unavailable from Monday, Aug. 13 at 6 p.m. until 8 a.m. at Tuesday, Aug. 21.

Please note the following regarding the Ohio English Language Proficiency Screener (OELPS):

OELPS may be administered Aug. 15-20 provided the students to be tested are registered in TIDE prior to the down time.

Test administrators must also be added to TIDE (if needed) prior to the TIDE downtime.

If a Test Status Request (Reset, Reopen, Invalidation or Restore) is needed for the OELPS while TIDE is down, the district test coordinator will contact the Ohio Help Desk and provide all needed information. AIR will process these requests manually.

We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause. For questions or concerns regarding these downtimes please contact the Ohio Help Desk at ohhelpdesk@air.org, 877-231-7809 option 2.

Added July 2, 2018

Alternate Assessment Survey Closing

The Alternate Assessment Survey will be closing this Friday, April 20, 2018. If you have feedback about the Spring 2018 Ohio Alternate Assessment or if you would like to become involved with the development of Ohio’s new alternate assessment, please complete the Alternate Assessment Survey by Friday, April 20, 2018. Your feedback is valuable and will be used to inform future policies and procedures for the AASCD.

Added April 17, 2018

ORS Downtime

On Friday, February 16, the Online Reporting System (ORS) will be down for maintenance from 8:00 a.m. until approximately 8:00 p.m. ORS will be inaccessible during this time.

We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause. For questions or concerns regarding this downtime, please contact the Ohio Help Desk at ohhelpdesk@air.org, 877-231-7809 option 2.

Added February 14, 2018

Spring 2018 AASCD Manuals Available

The spring 2018 AASCD manuals are now available on the Alternate Assessment Portal. The AASCD Directions for Administration Manual outlines how teachers/test administrators should prepare for and administer the AASCD. All teachers, test administrators, and second raters should review the manual in advance of the test window. The AASCD Test Coordinator’s Manual outlines the responsibilities and procedures that district and building test coordinators are to follow for the AASCD.

Added November 17, 2017

Released AASCD Tasks Available on Portal

For the first time for the alternate assessment, tasks have been released from previous years’ administrations and are now available here: Released Tasks The released tasks are from all three gradebands (3-5, 6-8, and HS) and from all four subject areas (English language arts, mathematics, science, and social studies). These tasks include the test booklet, response cards, and posters needed to practice administering the AASCD with students.

Added August 9, 2017

Teachers / Test Administrators

District Test Coordinators Quick Guide

The new District Test Coordinators Quick Guide is now posted to the Ohio Department of Education Testing Webpage under Resources. This guide provides links, acronyms, definitions, contact information and resources that will assist district test coordinators with their position.

Added March 21, 2019

Accessibility Features for the AASCD Independent Field Test Now Available

To assist districts with preparations for the AASCD 2.0 Independent Field Test, AIR expanded the Test Settings feature in TIDE to include AASCD. This feature allows districts to set AASCD test settings in TIDE prior to testing. Districts can access this feature under the Student Information task in TIDE to ensure all accessibility features are appropriately marked for AASCD students taking the Independent Field Test.

As a reminder, Text-To-Speech (TTS) is on for all AASCD tests and cannot be turned off. Administrators should allow the TTS to play first, to ensure the TTS reads any “hidden” text.

Districts can access the TA Practice and Student Practice Sites and refer to the Practice Test Guidance document on the portal for more information about the available test settings and tools. The test settings and tools set in TIDE will be available for students when they log in to take the Independent Field Test.

For directions on uploading or manually editing student test settings, refer to the TIDE User Guide, located on the portal.

Added March 14, 2019

TIDE Downtime

On Friday, February 15 the TIDE system will be down for maintenance from approximately 5pm to 8pm. TIDE will be inaccessible during this time. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.

For questions or concerns regarding this downtime, please contact the Ohio Help Desk at ohhelpdesk@air.org or 877-231-7809.

Added February 11, 2019

DEI User Guide and FAQs Posted

The Data Entry Interface (DEI) User Guide for the Spring 2019 AASCD has been posted to the portal, along with a set of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) regarding data entry for the alternate assessment. The Data Entry Interface will be open from Tuesday, February 19 through Friday, April 12. During this testing window, all student scores must be entered into the DEI - failure to enter data before 5:00 p.m. on April 12 will result in no scores being reported.

Added February 11, 2019

Second Rater Assignments Posted in TIDE

Second rater assignments for districts have been posted in TIDE. If you need a second rater reassigned, please contact the Ohio Help Desk at ohhelpdesk@air.org or 877-231-7809

Districts that confirmed participation and submitted on-time Test Administration Kit orders will receive Alternate Assessment for Students with Significant Cognitive Disabilities (AASCD) test materials on Monday, February 4. Please check your materials, per the instructions provided in the Test Coordinator’s Manual. If you are missing boxes, call the Help Desk at ohhelpdesk@air.org or 1-877-231-7809. Kits should be distributed to test administrators in advance of the Spring 2019 AASCD operational (1.0) administration window opening on February 19.

Additional orders can be placed in TIDE starting Monday, February 4 – Wednesday, April 10 at the district level only, and are subject to ODE approval. DTCs may Pre-ID new students and update Pre-ID data for the operational (1.0) AASCD through April 12.

Districts that pre-identified their AASCD students in TIDE by January 23 should log into TIDE starting Thursday, February 7, to confirm which students have a second rater assignment. Each district should expect to have at least one student per grade band who requires a second rater for the Spring 2019 operational (1.0) AASCD.

As a reminder, the Spring 2019 operational (1.0) AASCD administration window is February 19 – April 12. All scores must be submitted into the Data Entry Interface (DEI) by 5:00 PM on April 12. Failure to enter scores in the DEI by this deadline will result in no scores being reported.

Added February 1, 2019

Upcoming Scheduled Maintenance

AIR will be conducting periodic maintenance of the testing systems to ensure system stability and reliability throughout the school year. These maintenance periods will occur on the dates indicated below and can last up to 24 hours. During a maintenance period some or all of these systems may be inaccessible:

TIDE

Student Testing Site and Practice Test Site

TA Interface and TA Practice Site

Online Reporting System (ORS)*

Teacher Hand Scoring System

Data Entry Interface

TA Certification Course

Assessment Systems Inbox

*Note: The ORS maintenance for January will begin Friday, January 11, at approximately 7:30 p.m. and conclude by Sunday at 9 a.m.

Winter Maintenance Windows

Saturday, January 12, beginning at 9 a.m.

Saturday, February 9, beginning at 9 a.m.

Saturday, March 16, beginning at 9 a.m.

Added January 7, 2019

Spring 2019 1.0 Refresher and 2.0 Training PowerPoints Now Available

The Spring 2019 AASCD 1.0 Refresher Training PowerPoint is now available for download on the Alternate Assessment Portal. This narrated presentation contains an overview of information regarding design of the AASCD 1.0 paper assessment, changes for the spring 2019 administration, administering the assessment, starting points, entering student scores, and more.

To prepare districts for the AASCD Online 2.0 assessments, an AASCD 2.0 Administration Training PowerPoint is also available for download on the Alternate Assessment Portal. This narrated presentation contains an overview of information regarding design of the AASCD 2.0 online assessment, the online systems used for the assessment, administering the assessment, and more.

These PowerPoints are optional resources for all test administrators for the AASCD. These resources can be downloaded from the Test Administration Resources section of the portal.

Added December 5, 2018

Upcoming Scheduled Maintenance

AIR will be conducting periodic maintenance of the testing systems to ensure system stability and reliability throughout the school year. These maintenance periods will occur on the Saturdays indicated below and can last up to 24 hours. During a maintenance period some or all of these systems may be inaccessible:

TIDE

Student Testing Site and Practice Test Site

TA Interface and TA Practice Site

Online Reporting System

Teacher Hand Scoring System

Data Entry Interface

TA Certification Course

Assessment Systems Inbox

Winter Maintenance Windows

Saturday, December 15 beginning at 9 a.m.

Saturday, January 5 beginning at 9 a.m.

Saturday, February 9 beginning at 9 a.m.

Added November 19, 2018

Upcoming Scheduled Maintenance

AIR will be conducting periodic maintenance of the testing systems to ensure system stability and reliability throughout the school year. These maintenance periods will occur on the Saturdays indicated below and can last up to 24 hours. During a maintenance period some or all of these systems may be inaccessible:

TIDE

Student Testing Site and Practice Test Site

TA Interface and TA Practice Site

Online Reporting System

Teacher Hand Scoring System

Data Entry Interface

TA Certification Course

Assessment Systems Inbox

Fall Maintenance Windows

Saturday, November 17 beginning at 9 a.m.

Added November 12, 2018

New Inbox Portal Card

A new system card has been added to the users pages for Teachers/Test Administrators and Test Coordinators. Clicking on the Inbox card will take you directly to your Ohio Assessment Systems Inbox, without the need to access TIDE or ORS first. This card provides a quick way to access files generated in TIDE or ORS, such as student exports or results data files. Access the Inbox using your same login credentials which are used to access all other secure testing systems.

Added October 19, 2018

Spring 2019 AASCD Manuals Available

The spring 2019 AASCD manuals are now available on the Alternate Assessment Portal. The spring 2019 AASCD manuals include information pertaining to both the AASCD Operational Paper (1.0) administration and the AASCD Online Independent Field Test (2.0) administration.

The AASCD Directions for Administration Manual outlines how teachers/test administrators should prepare for and administer the AASCD assessments. All teachers, test administrators, and second raters should review the manual in advance of the test window. The AASCD Test Coordinator’s Manual outlines the responsibilities and procedures that district and building test coordinators are to follow for the AASCD assessments.

The Practice Test Sites provide students and administrators the opportunity to experience the sign in process, navigate the online testing system, use the available tools and features, and familiarize themselves with online testing. For administrators, the TA Practice Site provides an opportunity for TAs to become familiar with the TA Interface, including setting up a test session and monitoring a student’s test progress.

Both the Student and TA Practice Test Sites can be accessed via any supported web browser. The Student Practice Test Site can also be accessed via the AIR Secure Browser or Secure Test App, available for download on the AASCD Secure Browsers page. For more information regarding system requirements and installing the AIR Secure Browser or Secure Test App, please refer to the Technology Resources available on the AASCD portal.

For additional questions or for assistance with accessing the AASCD 2.0 Practice Test Sites, please contact the Ohio Help Desk at ohhelpdesk@air.org, 877-231-7809 option 2.

Added October 3, 2018

Ohio Learning Standards-EXTENDED (Revised September 2018)

On Sept. 18, 2018, the State Board of Education adopted the revised grade-level Ohio’s Learning Standards-Extended for students who are assessed using the Alternate Assessment for Students with Significant Cognitive Disabilities (AASCD). The Ohio’s Learning Standards-Extended are specific statements of knowledge and skills linked to the expectations in Ohio’s Learning Standards. The extensions build a bridge that provides grade-level access for students with the most significant cognitive disabilities to the content of Ohio’s Learning Standards. The Ohio’s Learning Standards-Extended can be found on the Department's website.

Assessment Systems Downtime in Preparation for 2018-2019

In preparation for the 2018-2019 school year, all Ohio assessment systems will be unavailable starting Monday, Aug. 13 at 6 p.m.

TIDE will be unavailable from Monday, Aug. 13 at 6 p.m. until 8 a.m. at Tuesday, Aug. 21.

Please note the following regarding the Ohio English Language Proficiency Screener (OELPS):

OELPS may be administered Aug. 15-20 provided the students to be tested are registered in TIDE prior to the down time.

Test administrators must also be added to TIDE (if needed) prior to the TIDE downtime.

If a Test Status Request (Reset, Reopen, Invalidation or Restore) is needed for the OELPS while TIDE is down, the district test coordinator will contact the Ohio Help Desk and provide all needed information. AIR will process these requests manually.

We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause. For questions or concerns regarding these downtimes please contact the Ohio Help Desk at ohhelpdesk@air.org, 877-231-7809 option 2.

Added July 2, 2018

Alternate Assessment Survey Closing

The Alternate Assessment Survey will be closing this Friday, April 20, 2018. If you have feedback about the Spring 2018 Ohio Alternate Assessment or if you would like to become involved with the development of Ohio’s new alternate assessment, please complete the Alternate Assessment Survey by Friday, April 20, 2018. Your feedback is valuable and will be used to inform future policies and procedures for the AASCD.

Added April 17, 2018

Spring 2018 AASCD Test Window Closing Friday, April 13

All AASCD testing must be concluded and all scores must be submitted into the Data Entry Interface (DEI) by Friday, April 13 at 11:59PM.There will be no extensions for any reason.

Data Entry Interface
Teachers (TEs), Test Administrators (TAs) and Second Raters (SRs) should complete score submission in a timely manner. Failure to submit scores in the DEI will result in no scores being reported. Optional scoring worksheets will not be scored.

Pre-ID and Additional Order Windows Closing
District personnel can place additional orders for TA Kits in TIDE through Wednesday, April 11. Student Pre-ID information can be added and edited through Friday, April 13.

Returning Alternate Assessment Materials
Please follow the instructions provided in the Directions for Administration Manual (page 26-27) for repackaging the TA Kits and the Test Coordinator’s Manual (pages 15-18) for returning test materials and scheduling a UPS pickup if needed. All test materials must be shipped to Pel Hughes no later than Friday, April 20.

Test Administration Survey
If you have feedback about the Spring 2018 Ohio Alternate Assessment or if you would like to become involved with the development of Ohio’s new alternate assessment, please complete the Alternate Assessment Survey. Your feedback is valuable and will be used to inform future policies and procedures for the AASCD.

Added April 6, 2018

TA Interface Downtime

In preparation for the Ohio’s State Tests Spring 2018 administration, the TA Interface will be inaccessible for online testing from 8:00pm Friday, March 23 through 8:00pm Sunday, March 25.

During this time, the Data Entry Interface (DEI) will still be accessible for data entry of OELPA and AASCD student responses.

We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause. For questions or concerns regarding this downtime, please contact the Ohio Help Desk at ohhelpdesk@air.org, 877-231-7809 option 2.

Added March 23, 2018

Alternate Assessment Survey Open

We would like to invite you to submit feedback on your experience with the Spring 2018 AASCD. Please click on the link to complete the Alternate Assessment Survey. Your feedback is valuable and will be used to inform future policies and prodecures for the AASCD. Please share this survey with any who may have feedback or would like to participate in committees for the development of the alternate assessment.

Added March 12, 2018

Spring 2018 AASCD Test Window

The Spring 2018 AASCD test window is now open, February 20 – April 13. All student scores must be entered into the DEI by 11:59pm, April 13. Failure to enter scores in the DEI will result in no scores being reported. As a reminder, personnel entering student scores into the DEI must be assigned the appropriate user account (TE, TA, or SR).

DEI User Guide and FAQs Posted

The Data Entry Interface (DEI) User Guide for the Spring 2018 AASCD has been posted to the portal, along with a set of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) regarding data entry for the alternate assessment. The Data Entry Interface will be open from Tuesday, February 20 through Friday, April 13. During this testing window, all student scores must be entered into the DEI - failure to enter data before 11:59 p.m. on April 13 will result in no scores being reported.

Added February 15, 2018

ORS Downtime

On Friday, February 16, the Online Reporting System (ORS) will be down for maintenance from 8:00 a.m. until approximately 8:00 p.m. ORS will be inaccessible during this time.

We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause. For questions or concerns regarding this downtime, please contact the Ohio Help Desk at ohhelpdesk@air.org, 877-231-7809 option 2.

Added February 14, 2018

Second Rater Assignments Posted in TIDE

Second rater assignments for districts have been posted in TIDE. If you need a second rater reassigned, please contact the Ohio Help Desk at ohhelpdesk@air.org or 877-231-7809.

Added February 8, 2018

Spring 2018 Online Refresher Training Posted

An Online Refresher Training PowerPoint is now available for download on the Alternate Assessment Portal. This narrated presentation contains an overview of information regarding design of the assessment, changes for the spring 2018 administration, administering the assessment, starting points, entering student scores, and more. This is an optional resource for all test administrators for the AASCD. To download this resource, search for “Online Refresher Training” in the Test Administration Resources section of the portal.

Added December 11, 2017

Spring 2018 AASCD Manuals Available

The spring 2018 AASCD manuals are now available on the Alternate Assessment Portal. The AASCD Directions for Administration Manual outlines how teachers/test administrators should prepare for and administer the AASCD. All teachers, test administrators, and second raters should review the manual in advance of the test window. The AASCD Test Coordinator’s Manual outlines the responsibilities and procedures that district and building test coordinators are to follow for the AASCD.

Added November 17, 2017

Test Coordinators

District Test Coordinators Quick Guide

The new District Test Coordinators Quick Guide is now posted to the Ohio Department of Education Testing Webpage under Resources. This guide provides links, acronyms, definitions, contact information and resources that will assist district test coordinators with their position.

Added March 21, 2019

Accessibility Features for the AASCD Independent Field Test Now Available

To assist districts with preparations for the AASCD 2.0 Independent Field Test, AIR expanded the Test Settings feature in TIDE to include AASCD. This feature allows districts to set AASCD test settings in TIDE prior to testing. Districts can access this feature under the Student Information task in TIDE to ensure all accessibility features are appropriately marked for AASCD students taking the Independent Field Test.

As a reminder, Text-To-Speech (TTS) is on for all AASCD tests and cannot be turned off. Administrators should allow the TTS to play first, to ensure the TTS reads any “hidden” text.

Districts can access the TA Practice and Student Practice Sites and refer to the Practice Test Guidance document on the portal for more information about the available test settings and tools. The test settings and tools set in TIDE will be available for students when they log in to take the Independent Field Test.

For directions on uploading or manually editing student test settings, refer to the TIDE User Guide, located on the portal.

Added March 14, 2019

Upcoming Scheduled Maintenance

AIR will be conducting periodic maintenance of the testing systems to ensure system stability and reliability throughout the school year. These maintenance periods will occur on the dates indicated below and can last up to 24 hours. During a maintenance period some or all of these systems may be inaccessible:

TIDE

Student Testing Site and Practice Test Site

TA Interface and TA Practice Site

Online Reporting System (ORS)

Teacher Hand Scoring System

Data Entry Interface

TA Certification Course

Assessment Systems Inbox

Winter Maintenance Windows

Saturday, March 16, beginning at 9 a.m.

Added March 14, 2019

TIDE Downtime

On Friday, February 15 the TIDE system will be down for maintenance from approximately 5pm to 8pm. TIDE will be inaccessible during this time. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.

For questions or concerns regarding this downtime, please contact the Ohio Help Desk at ohhelpdesk@air.org or 877-231-7809.

Added February 11, 2019

DEI User Guide and FAQs Posted

The Data Entry Interface (DEI) User Guide for the Spring 2019 AASCD has been posted to the portal, along with a set of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) regarding data entry for the alternate assessment. The Data Entry Interface will be open from Tuesday, February 19 through Friday, April 12. During this testing window, all student scores must be entered into the DEI - failure to enter data before 5:00 p.m. on April 12 will result in no scores being reported.

Added February 11, 2019

Second Rater Assignments Posted in TIDE

Second rater assignments for districts have been posted in TIDE. If you need a second rater reassigned, please contact the Ohio Help Desk at ohhelpdesk@air.org or 877-231-7809

Districts that confirmed participation and submitted on-time Test Administration Kit orders will receive Alternate Assessment for Students with Significant Cognitive Disabilities (AASCD) test materials on Monday, February 4. Please check your materials, per the instructions provided in the Test Coordinator’s Manual. If you are missing boxes, call the Help Desk at ohhelpdesk@air.org or 1-877-231-7809. Kits should be distributed to test administrators in advance of the Spring 2019 AASCD operational (1.0) administration window opening on February 19.

Additional orders can be placed in TIDE starting Monday, February 4 – Wednesday, April 10 at the district level only, and are subject to ODE approval. DTCs may Pre-ID new students and update Pre-ID data for the operational (1.0) AASCD through April 12.

Districts that pre-identified their AASCD students in TIDE by January 23 should log into TIDE starting Thursday, February 7, to confirm which students have a second rater assignment. Each district should expect to have at least one student per grade band who requires a second rater for the Spring 2019 operational (1.0) AASCD.

As a reminder, the Spring 2019 operational (1.0) AASCD administration window is February 19 – April 12. All scores must be submitted into the Data Entry Interface (DEI) by 5:00 PM on April 12. Failure to enter scores in the DEI by this deadline will result in no scores being reported.

Added February 1, 2019

Upcoming Scheduled Maintenance

AIR will be conducting periodic maintenance of the testing systems to ensure system stability and reliability throughout the school year. These maintenance periods will occur on the dates indicated below and can last up to 24 hours. During a maintenance period some or all of these systems may be inaccessible:

TIDE

Student Testing Site and Practice Test Site

TA Interface and TA Practice Site

Online Reporting System (ORS)*

Teacher Hand Scoring System

Data Entry Interface

TA Certification Course

Assessment Systems Inbox

*Note: The ORS maintenance for January will begin Friday, January 11, at approximately 7:30 p.m. and conclude by Sunday at 9 a.m.

Winter Maintenance Windows

Saturday, January 12, beginning at 9 a.m.

Saturday, February 9, beginning at 9 a.m.

Saturday, March 16, beginning at 9 a.m.

Added January 7, 2019

Spring 2019 1.0 Refresher and 2.0 Training PowerPoints Now Available

The Spring 2019 AASCD 1.0 Refresher Training PowerPoint is now available for download on the Alternate Assessment Portal. This narrated presentation contains an overview of information regarding design of the AASCD 1.0 paper assessment, changes for the spring 2019 administration, administering the assessment, starting points, entering student scores, and more.

To prepare districts for the AASCD Online 2.0 assessments, an AASCD 2.0 Administration Training PowerPoint is also available for download on the Alternate Assessment Portal. This narrated presentation contains an overview of information regarding design of the AASCD 2.0 online assessment, the online systems used for the assessment, administering the assessment, and more.

These PowerPoints are optional resources for all test administrators for the AASCD. These resources can be downloaded from the Test Administration Resources section of the portal.

Added December 5, 2018

New Secure Browser for macOS 10.13 and 10.14

This message pertains only to districts and schools using devices with macOS 10.13 and 10.14 to administer online tests; all others may disregard this message. AIR has completed the review of macOS 10.14 and determined a new secure browser is required to support this new operating system. Additionally, a security issue has been discovered for macOS 10.13.

To allow support of 10.14 and to resolve the security issue in 10.13, Mac Secure Browser 10.6 will be available beginning on Monday, November 26. Devices running macOS 10.9 to 10.12 may continue to use the current Mac Secure Browser 10.3.

Beginning on Monday, December 3, Mac Secure Browser 10.6 will be required for devices running macOS 10.13 and 10.14 to access the secure student testing site.

If you have any questions about this information or need assistance with installing the secure browser, contact the Ohio Help Desk at 877.231.7809 or ohhelpdesk@air.org.

Added November 27, 2018

Upcoming Scheduled Maintenance

AIR will be conducting periodic maintenance of the testing systems to ensure system stability and reliability throughout the school year. These maintenance periods will occur on the Saturdays indicated below and can last up to 24 hours. During a maintenance period some or all of these systems may be inaccessible:

TIDE

Student Testing Site and Practice Test Site

TA Interface and TA Practice Site

Online Reporting System

Teacher Hand Scoring System

Data Entry Interface

TA Certification Course

Assessment Systems Inbox

Winter Maintenance Windows

Saturday, December 15 beginning at 9 a.m.

Saturday, January 5 beginning at 9 a.m.

Saturday, February 9 beginning at 9 a.m.

Added November 19, 2018

Upcoming Scheduled Maintenance

AIR will be conducting periodic maintenance of the testing systems to ensure system stability and reliability throughout the school year. These maintenance periods will occur on the Saturdays indicated below and can last up to 24 hours. During a maintenance period some or all of these systems may be inaccessible:

TIDE

Student Testing Site and Practice Test Site

TA Interface and TA Practice Site

Online Reporting System

Teacher Hand Scoring System

Data Entry Interface

TA Certification Course

Assessment Systems Inbox

Fall Maintenance Windows

Saturday, November 17 beginning at 9 a.m.

Added November 12, 2018

New Inbox Portal Card

A new system card has been added to the users pages for Teachers/Test Administrators and Test Coordinators. Clicking on the Inbox card will take you directly to your Ohio Assessment Systems Inbox, without the need to access TIDE or ORS first. This card provides a quick way to access files generated in TIDE or ORS, such as student exports or results data files. Access the Inbox using your same login credentials which are used to access all other secure testing systems.

Added October 19, 2018

Spring 2019 AASCD Manuals Available

The spring 2019 AASCD manuals are now available on the Alternate Assessment Portal. The spring 2019 AASCD manuals include information pertaining to both the AASCD Operational Paper (1.0) administration and the AASCD Online Independent Field Test (2.0) administration.

The AASCD Directions for Administration Manual outlines how teachers/test administrators should prepare for and administer the AASCD assessments. All teachers, test administrators, and second raters should review the manual in advance of the test window. The AASCD Test Coordinator’s Manual outlines the responsibilities and procedures that district and building test coordinators are to follow for the AASCD assessments.

The Practice Test Sites provide students and administrators the opportunity to experience the sign in process, navigate the online testing system, use the available tools and features, and familiarize themselves with online testing. For administrators, the TA Practice Site provides an opportunity for TAs to become familiar with the TA Interface, including setting up a test session and monitoring a student’s test progress.

Both the Student and TA Practice Test Sites can be accessed via any supported web browser. The Student Practice Test Site can also be accessed via the AIR Secure Browser or Secure Test App, available for download on the AASCD Secure Browsers page. For more information regarding system requirements and installing the AIR Secure Browser or Secure Test App, please refer to the Technology Resources available on the AASCD portal.

For additional questions or for assistance with accessing the AASCD 2.0 Practice Test Sites, please contact the Ohio Help Desk at ohhelpdesk@air.org, 877-231-7809 option 2.

Added October 3, 2018

Ohio Learning Standards-EXTENDED (Revised September 2018)

On Sept. 18, 2018, the State Board of Education adopted the revised grade-level Ohio’s Learning Standards-Extended for students who are assessed using the Alternate Assessment for Students with Significant Cognitive Disabilities (AASCD). The Ohio’s Learning Standards-Extended are specific statements of knowledge and skills linked to the expectations in Ohio’s Learning Standards. The extensions build a bridge that provides grade-level access for students with the most significant cognitive disabilities to the content of Ohio’s Learning Standards. The Ohio’s Learning Standards-Extended can be found on the Department's website.

Assessment Systems Downtime in Preparation for 2018-2019

In preparation for the 2018-2019 school year, all Ohio assessment systems will be unavailable starting Monday, Aug. 13 at 6 p.m.

TIDE will be unavailable from Monday, Aug. 13 at 6 p.m. until 8 a.m. at Tuesday, Aug. 21.

Please note the following regarding the Ohio English Language Proficiency Screener (OELPS):

OELPS may be administered Aug. 15-20 provided the students to be tested are registered in TIDE prior to the down time.

Test administrators must also be added to TIDE (if needed) prior to the TIDE downtime.

If a Test Status Request (Reset, Reopen, Invalidation or Restore) is needed for the OELPS while TIDE is down, the district test coordinator will contact the Ohio Help Desk and provide all needed information. AIR will process these requests manually.

We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause. For questions or concerns regarding these downtimes please contact the Ohio Help Desk at ohhelpdesk@air.org, 877-231-7809 option 2.

Added July 2, 2018

Alternate Assessment Survey Closing

The Alternate Assessment Survey will be closing this Friday, April 20, 2018. If you have feedback about the Spring 2018 Ohio Alternate Assessment or if you would like to become involved with the development of Ohio’s new alternate assessment, please complete the Alternate Assessment Survey by Friday, April 20, 2018. Your feedback is valuable and will be used to inform future policies and procedures for the AASCD.

Added April 17, 2018

Spring 2018 AASCD Test Window Closing Friday, April 13

All AASCD testing must be concluded and all scores must be submitted into the Data Entry Interface (DEI) by Friday, April 13 at 11:59PM.There will be no extensions for any reason.

Data Entry Interface
Teachers (TEs), Test Administrators (TAs) and Second Raters (SRs) should complete score submission in a timely manner. Failure to submit scores in the DEI will result in no scores being reported. Optional scoring worksheets will not be scored.

Pre-ID and Additional Order Windows Closing
District personnel can place additional orders for TA Kits in TIDE through Wednesday, April 11. Student Pre-ID information can be added and edited through Friday, April 13.

Returning Alternate Assessment Materials
Please follow the instructions provided in the Directions for Administration Manual (page 26-27) for repackaging the TA Kits and the Test Coordinator’s Manual (pages 15-18) for returning test materials and scheduling a UPS pickup if needed. All test materials must be shipped to Pel Hughes no later than Friday, April 20.

Test Administration Survey
If you have feedback about the Spring 2018 Ohio Alternate Assessment or if you would like to become involved with the development of Ohio’s new alternate assessment, please complete the Alternate Assessment Survey. Your feedback is valuable and will be used to inform future policies and procedures for the AASCD.

Added April 6, 2018

TA Interface Downtime

In preparation for the Ohio’s State Tests Spring 2018 administration, the TA Interface will be inaccessible for online testing from 8:00pm Friday, March 23 through 8:00pm Sunday, March 25.

During this time, the Data Entry Interface (DEI) will still be accessible for data entry of OELPA and AASCD student responses.

We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause. For questions or concerns regarding this downtime, please contact the Ohio Help Desk at ohhelpdesk@air.org, 877-231-7809 option 2.

Added March 23, 2018

Alternate Assessment Survey Open

We would like to invite you to submit feedback on your experience with the Spring 2018 AASCD. Please click on the link to complete the Alternate Assessment Survey. Your feedback is valuable and will be used to inform future policies and prodecures for the AASCD. Please share this survey with any who may have feedback or would like to participate in committees for the development of the alternate assessment.

Added March 12, 2018

Spring 2018 AASCD Test Window

The Spring 2018 AASCD test window is now open, February 20 – April 13. All student scores must be entered into the DEI by 11:59pm, April 13. Failure to enter scores in the DEI will result in no scores being reported. As a reminder, personnel entering student scores into the DEI must be assigned the appropriate user account (TE, TA, or SR).

DEI User Guide and FAQs Posted

The Data Entry Interface (DEI) User Guide for the Spring 2018 AASCD has been posted to the portal, along with a set of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) regarding data entry for the alternate assessment. The Data Entry Interface will be open from Tuesday, February 20 through Friday, April 13. During this testing window, all student scores must be entered into the DEI - failure to enter data before 11:59 p.m. on April 13 will result in no scores being reported.

Added February 15, 2018

ORS Downtime

On Friday, February 16, the Online Reporting System (ORS) will be down for maintenance from 8:00 a.m. until approximately 8:00 p.m. ORS will be inaccessible during this time.

We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause. For questions or concerns regarding this downtime, please contact the Ohio Help Desk at ohhelpdesk@air.org, 877-231-7809 option 2.

Added February 14, 2018

Second Rater Assignments Posted in TIDE

Second rater assignments for districts have been posted in TIDE. If you need a second rater reassigned, please contact the Ohio Help Desk at ohhelpdesk@air.org or 877-231-7809.

Added February 8, 2018

TIDE Downtime

On Tuesday, February 13th the TIDE system will be down for maintenance from approximately 6pm to 9pm. TIDE will be inaccessible during this time. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.

For questions or concerns regarding this downtime, please contact the Ohio Help Desk at ohhelpdesk@air.org, 877-231-7809 option 2.

Added February 6, 2018

Test Material Delivery and Additional Ordering - Feb. 6

Districts that confirmed participation and submitted on-time Test Administration Kit orders will receive Alternate Assessment for Students with Significant Cognitive Disabilities (AASCD) test materials on Tuesday, February 6. Please check your materials, per the instructions provided in the Test Coordinator’s Manual. If you are missing boxes, call the Help Desk at ohhelpdesk@air.org or 1-877-231-7809. Kits should be distributed to test administrators in advance of the test window opening on February 20.

Additional orders can be placed in TIDE starting February 6 through April 11 at the district level only, and are subject to ODE approval. DTCs may Pre-ID new students and update Pre-ID data through April 13. Please see the Additional Order and Pre-ID Window Guidance Document for more information.

Added February 2, 2018

Spring 2018 Online Refresher Training Posted

An Online Refresher Training PowerPoint is now available for download on the Alternate Assessment Portal. This narrated presentation contains an overview of information regarding design of the assessment, changes for the spring 2018 administration, administering the assessment, starting points, entering student scores, and more. This is an optional resource for all test administrators for the AASCD. To download this resource, search for “Online Refresher Training” in the Test Administration Resources section of the portal.

Added December 11, 2017

Spring 2018 AASCD Manuals Available

The spring 2018 AASCD manuals are now available on the Alternate Assessment Portal. The AASCD Directions for Administration Manual outlines how teachers/test administrators should prepare for and administer the AASCD. All teachers, test administrators, and second raters should review the manual in advance of the test window. The AASCD Test Coordinator’s Manual outlines the responsibilities and procedures that district and building test coordinators are to follow for the AASCD.

Added November 17, 2017

Technology Coordinators

TIDE Downtime

On Friday, February 15 the TIDE system will be down for maintenance from approximately 5pm to 8pm. TIDE will be inaccessible during this time. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.

For questions or concerns regarding this downtime, please contact the Ohio Help Desk at ohhelpdesk@air.org or 877-231-7809.

Added February 11, 2019

DEI User Guide and FAQs Posted

The Data Entry Interface (DEI) User Guide for the Spring 2019 AASCD has been posted to the portal, along with a set of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) regarding data entry for the alternate assessment. The Data Entry Interface will be open from Tuesday, February 19 through Friday, April 12. During this testing window, all student scores must be entered into the DEI - failure to enter data before 5:00 p.m. on April 12 will result in no scores being reported.

Added February 11, 2019

Second Rater Assignments Posted in TIDE

Second rater assignments for districts have been posted in TIDE. If you need a second rater reassigned, please contact the Ohio Help Desk at ohhelpdesk@air.org or 877-231-7809

Districts that confirmed participation and submitted on-time Test Administration Kit orders will receive Alternate Assessment for Students with Significant Cognitive Disabilities (AASCD) test materials on Monday, February 4. Please check your materials, per the instructions provided in the Test Coordinator’s Manual. If you are missing boxes, call the Help Desk at ohhelpdesk@air.org or 1-877-231-7809. Kits should be distributed to test administrators in advance of the Spring 2019 AASCD operational (1.0) administration window opening on February 19.

Additional orders can be placed in TIDE starting Monday, February 4 – Wednesday, April 10 at the district level only, and are subject to ODE approval. DTCs may Pre-ID new students and update Pre-ID data for the operational (1.0) AASCD through April 12.

Districts that pre-identified their AASCD students in TIDE by January 23 should log into TIDE starting Thursday, February 7, to confirm which students have a second rater assignment. Each district should expect to have at least one student per grade band who requires a second rater for the Spring 2019 operational (1.0) AASCD.

As a reminder, the Spring 2019 operational (1.0) AASCD administration window is February 19 – April 12. All scores must be submitted into the Data Entry Interface (DEI) by 5:00 PM on April 12. Failure to enter scores in the DEI by this deadline will result in no scores being reported.

Added February 1, 2019

New Secure Browser for macOS 10.13 and 10.14

This message pertains only to districts and schools using devices with macOS 10.13 and 10.14 to administer online tests; all others may disregard this message. AIR has completed the review of macOS 10.14 and determined a new secure browser is required to support this new operating system. Additionally, a security issue has been discovered for macOS 10.13.

To allow support of 10.14 and to resolve the security issue in 10.13, Mac Secure Browser 10.6 will be available beginning on Monday, November 26. Devices running macOS 10.9 to 10.12 may continue to use the current Mac Secure Browser 10.3.

Beginning on Monday, December 3, Mac Secure Browser 10.6 will be required for devices running macOS 10.13 and 10.14 to access the secure student testing site.

If you have any questions about this information or need assistance with installing the secure browser, contact the Ohio Help Desk at 877.231.7809 or ohhelpdesk@air.org.

Added November 27, 2018

Assessment Systems Downtime in Preparation for 2018-2019

In preparation for the 2018-2019 school year, all Ohio assessment systems will be unavailable starting Monday, Aug. 13 at 6 p.m.

TIDE will be unavailable from Monday, Aug. 13 at 6 p.m. until 8 a.m. at Tuesday, Aug. 21.

Please note the following regarding the Ohio English Language Proficiency Screener (OELPS):

OELPS may be administered Aug. 15-20 provided the students to be tested are registered in TIDE prior to the down time.

Test administrators must also be added to TIDE (if needed) prior to the TIDE downtime.

If a Test Status Request (Reset, Reopen, Invalidation or Restore) is needed for the OELPS while TIDE is down, the district test coordinator will contact the Ohio Help Desk and provide all needed information. AIR will process these requests manually.

We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause. For questions or concerns regarding these downtimes please contact the Ohio Help Desk at ohhelpdesk@air.org, 877-231-7809 option 2.

Added July 2, 2018

Alternate Assessment Survey Closing

The Alternate Assessment Survey will be closing this Friday, April 20, 2018. If you have feedback about the Spring 2018 Ohio Alternate Assessment or if you would like to become involved with the development of Ohio’s new alternate assessment, please complete the Alternate Assessment Survey by Friday, April 20, 2018. Your feedback is valuable and will be used to inform future policies and procedures for the AASCD.

Added April 17, 2018

Spring 2018 AASCD Test Window

The Spring 2018 AASCD test window is now open, February 20 – April 13. All student scores must be entered into the DEI by 11:59pm, April 13. Failure to enter scores in the DEI will result in no scores being reported. As a reminder, personnel entering student scores into the DEI must be assigned the appropriate user account (TE, TA, or SR).